- Joined
- 3/7/19
- Messages
- 624
Finally have an update here.
Two months ago, I put Boo's food dish on a separate surface from her cage (used two plastic storage bins, side-by-side) so she had to step across a gap to reach it, then slowly started widening the gap. When we started, she was afraid to even step across a 1/2 inch opening, so it's been a long road.
As of a few days ago, with the most recent incremental increase, she FINALLY overcame her fear and mastered the "jump and flap" method of crossing. I waited to post here until I was sure it wasn't a fluke, but she's done it two or three times a day since then, so she's definitely worked it out.
SHE ACTUALLY TRUSTS HER WINGS A TEENY TINY BIT!
It's the first time I've seen her voluntarily use her wings for transportation in any form (as opposed to the terrified breaking of a fall). There's none of the anxiety-ranging-to-panic associated with previous flapping either. It's intentional and controlled.
I just wanted to let people know, partly as a general update, and partly because it's one thing to hear "working with birds can take a long time" and another thing to witness the time scale playing out.
Two months ago, I put Boo's food dish on a separate surface from her cage (used two plastic storage bins, side-by-side) so she had to step across a gap to reach it, then slowly started widening the gap. When we started, she was afraid to even step across a 1/2 inch opening, so it's been a long road.
As of a few days ago, with the most recent incremental increase, she FINALLY overcame her fear and mastered the "jump and flap" method of crossing. I waited to post here until I was sure it wasn't a fluke, but she's done it two or three times a day since then, so she's definitely worked it out.
SHE ACTUALLY TRUSTS HER WINGS A TEENY TINY BIT!
It's the first time I've seen her voluntarily use her wings for transportation in any form (as opposed to the terrified breaking of a fall). There's none of the anxiety-ranging-to-panic associated with previous flapping either. It's intentional and controlled.
I just wanted to let people know, partly as a general update, and partly because it's one thing to hear "working with birds can take a long time" and another thing to witness the time scale playing out.